Washed · Research note
How Washed researched laundry in Lomé
Before launch, Washed used a field-research questionnaire to better understand how households in Lomé already organize in-home laundry. The existing dataset contains 63 responses. This page documents what we asked, why we asked it, and the limits of what those responses can support.
What we wanted to understand
The questionnaire did not simply ask whether people “liked” an idea. It started with current behavior: whether a washerwoman already visits the home, how often she comes, how much the household pays per month and who in the household she washes for.
It then asked about existing friction in that relationship: unreliability, disappearing or missing visits, washing quality, price changes, lost or damaged clothes, or no particular problem. Household size and neighbourhood were also collected.
The prices tested in the questionnaire
Two questions explicitly tested willingness to pay: 2,500 XOF per month for one visit and 4,500 XOF per month for two visits. Those were research price points, not a promise of final pricing.
Washed’s currently published pricing differs on the first tier: Essentiel is 3,000 XOF per month for one visit and Confort is 4,500 XOF for two visits. We intentionally distinguish research price tests from the prices customers are actually shown today.
A branching questionnaire
The questionnaire contains up to ten questions. When someone says they do not currently have a washerwoman and wash for themselves, questions that assume an existing washerwoman relationship are skipped; that path contains six questions.
This branching avoids forcing hypothetical answers about frequency, price or frustrations with a relationship the respondent does not have. Neighbourhood is collected to help understand where potential demand is located and inform rollout prioritization.
What 63 responses do not prove
This is exploratory research, not a representative sample of the entire population of Lomé. Response count, recruitment method and participant self-selection mean the questionnaire should not automatically be converted into a citywide market-share or behavior estimate.
We do not publish percentages here that have not been verified in an aggregated analysis. This page documents the method and the questions actually asked; it does not manufacture statistical conclusions from the fact that 63 people responded.
Why the research mattered to the Washed model
The product was designed around a behavior already familiar in Lomé: someone comes to the home to do laundry. Washed adds organization to that relationship — scheduling, payment, continuity with the regular washerwoman and replacement when needed — rather than imposing a laundromat or pickup model.
The research primarily helped test the right dimensions: real service frequency, spending level, trust, household size, neighbourhood and price sensitivity. Those are also the dimensions the paid beta needs to keep measuring.
Research questions
- Are 63 responses enough to size the Lomé market?
- No. They are a useful research signal, but not a representative sample that can automatically be extrapolated to the entire city.
- Why not publish the percentages now?
- Because this page only documents claims that are verifiable in the current product and research materials. Aggregated results should be checked before being presented as public statistics.
- Did the questionnaire test the current 3,000 XOF price?
- No. It tested 2,500 XOF for one visit and 4,500 XOF for two visits. The currently published Essentiel price is 3,000 XOF.
- Can people still take the survey?
- Yes. The Washed questionnaire remains accessible from the Survey page while research collection is open.